The Midnight Club of Two (no, Three!)
by Vincent the Sheep
Summary: In which Izuku Midoriya cannot sleep, sparking a mutual interest that defies commonplace curfew.
1. Insomnia! An Opportunity!

The halls of Class A's dorm were quiet at night, but Izuku couldn't sleep.

Nothing serious was happening right now. There were no villains to fight, and U.A finally had a time to breathe after everything that happened, but Izuku couldn't sleep.

His bed offered familiar comfort, supplied by the warmth its covers, but Izuku couldn't sleep. Goddamit, why couldn't he sleep?

 _Everything's fine. I'll drift off any minute now. Deep breathes, nice and slowly. One...Two...Am I really counting my breaths? Shouldn't I be counting sheep? How does that help you get to sleep anyway? What if I kept counting all night? What number would I even get to? Well, if it took me one sheep every two seconds I suppose...Argh what am I doing?! Why am I thinking about this? I gotta focus on sleeping. I gotta relax! I've been closing my eyes for what feels like hours...What time is it?_

Izuku frustratingly sat up and grabbed the phone which sat at his side.

 **1:33am**

 _Seriously?! It's already that late?! At least it isn't a school night this time...but come on! This is becoming a problem...What should I do?_

Thinking back, Izuku hadn't felt like this since his quirkless childhood. Back then, his mind buzzed with hero trivia (particularly of All Might), along with uncertain hopes and dreams. Back then, his thoughts were a scrambled mess of insecurity and doubt, never failing to keep him awake at night.

Things were different now, of course, but something had keep him up for the past few nights. Izuku could feel the lack of sleep, and it became evident enough for his classmates to comment on it. Iida would give him a stern lecture on sleep deprivation, while Uraraka offered relaxation advice with a concerned smile. Tsuyu had suggested sleeping pills, Jiiro gave him a playlist of relaxing tunes, Yaoyorozu made him ear plugs, and Kaachan called him a moron.

His classmates were attentive like that, and Izuku never took that for granted. But nothing worked for him, not even the thought that he had friends to care for him.

 _Well, if I can't fall asleep, I might as well stay awake a little longer..._

 _What to do, what to do, what to do..._

 _I seriously have a problem, why am I like this?_

 _I mean, it's not like anyone else I know stays up this late!_

 _..._

 _I wonder..._

Izuku grabbed his phone and went into the messaging app his class liked to use. He browsed his friend list analytically.

Only one of his classmates was active.

 _Tokoyami-kun? Does he stay up this late every night? He does seem like the type..._

As far as Izuku could remember, they hadn't talked much since the Sports Festival-no wait, there was the summer training camp as well-but the Festival had been the _first time_. Izuku could still remember just how _awesome_ Tokoyami was in the Cavalry Battle.

So much had happened since then, Izuku never even had the chance to thank the boy for his help-let alone hang out a little. Tokoyami had always looked well composed, and Izuku found that admirable.

 _Maybe he'll have some tips for falling asleep? He's pretty into being in darkness-wait, that doesn't make any sense...Just because he likes darkness doesn't mean he can-_

 _Ah screw it, it's better than driving myself crazy alone!_

Not realising he was taking a deep breath, Izuku tapped on Tokoyami's name. This would be the first time Izuku had messaged the avian classmate online.

 _Would it be weird if I sent a message? What should I even say?_

After much thought, Izuku bravely composed a message.

 **Midoriya (1:45am)**

 _Hey, Tokoyami-kun! Can I ask you a quick question?_

 **Tokoyami (1:47am)**

 _Ah, Midoriya. It is unusual to see you awake at this hour._

 _Ask away._

 **Midoriya (1:48am)**

 _Well, I was wondering why you're up this late..._

 _Not that there's anything wrong with that!_

 _I was just worried I was the only person still awake!_

 _So I guess I'm just curious?_

 **Tokoyami (1:49am)**

 _I see._

 _Well, to answer your question, I like the quiet._

 _I find it gives an ideal atmosphere for reading._

 **Midoriya (1:50am)**

 _Oh, that makes sense!_

 _Do you do that every night?_

 _How do you get enough sleep?!_

 _Again, nothing wrong with that!_

 **Tokoyami (1:50am)**

 _Well..._

 _It is not an ideal habit, I must confess._

 _But it helps me calm down sometimes._

 **Midoriya (1:51am)**

 _Calm down? What do you mean?_

 _..._

 _Is something bothering you, Tokoyami-kun?_

 _I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry!_

 **Tokoyami (1:55am** **)**

 _Ah, forgive me I did not mean to worry you. I am fine._

 _Just a small bit distracted._

 _More importantly, is something troubling you, Midoriya?_

 _Sleep has been evading you recently, hasn't it?_

Izuku stared at his classmate's reply. He sighed.

 **Midoriya (1:56am)**

 _Is it that obvious?_

 **Tokoyami (1:56am)**

 _Midoriya, I think it is safe to say everyone in the class has noticed._

 _Especially considering your usual behaviour is more...fervent._

 **Midoriya (1:58am)**

 _Well, now I'm embarrassed._

 _I just can't help it!_

 _Everything I've tried hasn't worked._

 _It's like my head's spinning, but not in a dizzy way_

 _Like_

 _When a machine overheats by spinning way too fast, you know?_

 _No, that doesn't make any sense._

 _I'm just babbling. Sorry._

 _I'll stop talking now._

Midoriya put down his phone and threw himself into his pillow, screaming internally. This wasn't helping him at all! Tokoyami didn't need to deal with his sleep-depriving rant. Who would want to deal with his muttering at two in the morning?

Then his phone went off.

 **Tokoyami (2:01am)**

 _It is alright, Midoriya. There is no need to apologise. I understand your conundrum._

 _Sleep is a cruel temptress. One with a warm, yet elusive embrace that starves the mind maddeningly._

 **Midoriya (2:02am)**

 _Well, that's one way of putting it haha._

 _It's driving me crazy, that's for sure._

 _Do you have trouble sleeping too, Tokoyami-kun?_

 _I thought you just liked to stay up late?_

 **Tokoyami** **(2:03am)**

 _That is partially true..._

 _But it is not the only reason I stay awake._

 _Not to name any names, but there's a certain demon inside of me that, at times, prefers not to slumber._

 _Even now, he's pestering me to send you a message for him._

 **Midoriya** **(2:05am)**

 _Ah, you mean Dark Shadow?_

 _Is he reading my messages now?_

 _If he is, hi Dark Shadow!_

 _I don't think we've ever talked before, nor that I've ever talked to a Quirk before, but it's nice to meet you, sorta!_

 **Tokoyami (2:06am)**

 _Please don't encourage him..._

 _He is a leech for attention._

 _Although granted, he has calmed himself down significantly now..._

 _Strange._

 **Midoriya (2:07am)**

 _I guess Dark Shadow just wanted to talk?_

 _Maybe lack of sleep is driving him insane as well haha._

 _But you know, I really like your quirk, Tokoyami-kun!_

 _Not only is Dark Shadow versatile in combat, in terms of offence/defence._

 _But he can talk too!_

 _I mean, maybe that can be annoying sometimes._

 _I don't want to assume, because I can't possibly imagine what it's like having a quirk like that._

 _But at least you're never truely alone, right?_

 _I don't know._

 _Ah, there I go rambling again!_

 _I'm sorry. Please stop me talking!_

 **Tokoyami (2:09am)**

 _He has gotten incredibly quiet now._

 _If I knew having someone compliment Dark Shadow would calm him down, I would've employed you years ago._

 _And again, no apologies are necessary._

 _You know how to see the best in people, and I appreciate that._

 _That is what makes you a valuable ally, after all._

Izukucould feel his face burning up, but he blamed it on the humidity.

 **Midoriya (2:11am)**

 _I mean it, you know!_

 _I know we haven't talked much, but I always thought you were pretty cool!_

 _Like, you're one of the calmest people in our class._

 _But you're pretty compassionate too!_

 _..._

 _Oh crap, look at the time!_

 _It's getting late, and I think i'm starting to feel tired, finally!_

 _Talk to you later, okay?_

 _Night!_

Izuku put his phone down and shoved himself under his bed covers before he could say anything more embarrassing.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid! Compassionate? Why did I choose to use that word? I mean, it's probably not wrong, but it's still weird to say that, right? I'll apologise for it tomorrow. Wait for it to blow over...God, I really am a mess..._

For the first time that night, his mind only focussed on one thing: how mortified he felt. Sleep hadn't been more welcomed.

* * *

Fumikage stared at the last string of messages Midoriya sent.

"WOW FUMIKAGE, HE REALLY LIKES YOU DOESN'T HE?"

Dark Shadow had been peering over his shoulder the entire time, much to Fumikage's chagrin. "We're classmates, and at very least good acquaintances. I am sure Midoriya likes everyone..."

"BUT NOT LIKE _THIS_ , YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN'?"

Fumikage glared at his quirk. "I most certainly do not, nor do I care."

"I DON'T BLAME HIM THOUGH, WE ARE TOTALLY A CATCH! BUT HEY, HE'S NOT TOO BAD EITHER, EH?"

"Stop talking."

"OKAY SURE, WHATEVER YOU SAY! I AM AN EMBODIMENT OF YOUR DEEP PERSONAL EMOTIONS, BUT WHAT DO I KNOW?"

"Can't you let me fall asleep?" Fumikage groaned. "You and I both need the rest..."

"FINE. BUT AREN'T YOU AT LEAST GOING TO SEND IZU-KUN A REPLY? HE DESERVES IT, _HE'S_ ACTUALLY NICE TO ME!"

 _He's already given Midoriya a nickname, for heaven's sake!_

"I CAN READ YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW! HOW DO YOU KEEP FORGETTING THAT?" He could see Dark Shadow grinning. "I CAN TELL YOU'RE ANNOYED, BUT I'M TOTALLY RIGHT! SAY SOMETHING, DUMMY-KAGE!"

"Shut up..."

Fumikage took his phone, looked at the messages, and took his time to compose a reply.

 **Tokoyami (2:15am)**

 _Those are kind words, Midoriya._

 _I too am starting to feel slumberous._

 _But I enjoyed this talk, so thank you. Perhaps we could continue our discussion at a later time?_

 _Regardless, I hope sleep finds you well tonight._

Fumikage stopped himself from typing anymore. Dark Shadow was snickering.

"NICE WORK, FUMI! PLAYING IT SMOOTH, I SEE!"

Fumikage ignored his quirk and laid down on his bed.

 _Midoriya...You are perplexing, yet so honestly simple...A paradox of shining light in the dark...What am I even saying? I need to rest..._

He could feel an eerie lightness in his chest, but soon that feeling drifted away with sleep.


	2. Sunlight Running and a Cup of Coffee

Izuku's phone alarm blared at 8am as sunlight seeped into his eyes. The Sunday morning greeted him with a fresh temperature when he slipped out of bed.

 _New days, new beginnings, new memories..._

Izuku had taken a liking to that saying, though he could never quite remember where he'd heard it from. There was no rhyme or gimmick, but it seemed appropriate for some reason.

As soon as he grabbed his phone to turn off the alarm, last night crept into his mind.

 _Oh god, that's right…._

He tentatively glanced at the screen.

 ****Tokoyami (2:15am)

 _Those are kind words, Midoriya._

 _I too am starting to feel slumberous._

 _But I enjoyed this talk, so thank you. Perhaps we could continue our discussion at a later time?_

 _Regardless, I hope sleep finds you well tonight._

Izuku nearly dropped his phone.

 _Tokoyami-kun replied! And he's not upset!? Well, of course he wouldn't be, he's so stoic and cool and calm and-_

 _…._

 _And he wants to "continue our discussion"?! So, he actually enjoyed it! Well, maybe he's just incredibly patient and wants to humour me...but either way, that's pretty good, right?_

Izuku had changed into his clothes by this point, and began tying his shoes.

 _I wonder if Tokoyami-kun's free today...What does he even do on weekends? Is it bad that I don't know that? I guess not, that would be kinda weird if I did...Ah, whatever!_

Shaking his head, he did a quick set of pushups to get his blood pumping, then headed out his room.

 _What to do, what to do, what to-argh, I've been saying that a lot too! I gotta be more decisive!_

On his free days, Izuku usually kept himself busy with training, studying, and maybe a bit of shopping, if he needed something. It was rare for Izuku to spend his time leisurely, but that never bothered him. It's a hero's burden to remain diligent, at least that's what Aizawa-sensei-or Iida-would say.

But this Sunday felt different to Izuku. Standing in the hallway, he found himself facing the direction of Tokoyami's room.

 _I wonder if he's...oh what am I doing? I should grab some breakfast. Yeah, that's a good idea!_

Izuku didn't like the idea of loitering outside of his classmate's room, so he made for the stairs leading down to the main living room.

Everything in the living room was the same as it had been the day before, and Izuku welcomed the smell of milk and cereal. It gave a home-like feel to the place.

The same early-risers were there, Iida dutifully ate toast, Mina seemed to be doing cardio stretches, Shoji calmly brewed coffee, and Yaoyorozu was enjoying a book. Izuku absentmindedly noted that Tokoyami wasn't there.

 _He must be sleeping in after all. I did keep him up rather late…_

"Midoriya!" Tenya Iida's voice snapped across the room. "Don't tell me you're dozing off again! Did you follow my sleeping advice? More importantly, get some food into you!"

Izuku smiled at the class representative's concern. "Ah, will do!"

A moment later, Izuku sat across from his spectacled classmate with a bowl of cornflakes and orange juice.

"I'm surprised to see you up, Midoriya." Iida started. "Did you manage to get some sleep, after all?"

"Ah well, I guess a little…" Izuku straightened himself, hoping to look more alert. "Getting up early isn't too hard, as long as I have an alarm…"

Iida gave a pointed stare. "Alarms are useful, yes. But having a proper sleep cycle is important too! You must not be negligent with your physical health!"

"Yeah, I know…" Izuku nodded, knowing better than to argue at this point. "I guess I just haven't figured that part out yet…"

His classmate opened his mouth, stopped himself, then spoke up. "Forgive me, you don't need a lecture this early in the morning…"

"No, it's totally okay!" Izuku held up his hands. "It's something I need to work on, so I appreciate any help I can get!"

Iida looked him up and down, then nodded. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. Don't work yourself up about it!"

 _That sounds a little strange coming from you, Iida-kun…_

Breakfast went by nicely, and by the time Izuku finished his bowl more of his classmates filled the room with the usual banter. The green haired boy looked around, it appeared Tokoyami hadn't come down yet.

Izuku brought up his phone, and looked at last night's messages again.

 _I should send a reply to Tokoyami. It's the least I should do!_

 _…_

 _But what do I say?_

 _Well of COURSE I'll say yes to talking with him more!_

 _But how can I do that without coming off too...fervent? That was what he said, right?_

 _I guess I do need to chill out more in class…_

 _(can you blame me, though? It's UA!)_

 _Dammit Izuku, focus! What should I say?_

With nothing much to lose, save his dignity, Izuku made a move.

 **Midoriya (8:49am)**

 _Hey again, Tokoyami-kun!_

 _Sorry I didn't respond to those messages, but I finally fell asleep!_

 _Thanks for dealing with me ahaha_

 _But it was fun! We should definitely do it again!_

 _I was actually wondering, since it's a Sunday, maybe you're free today?_

Izuku shook his head the second he sent the last message.

 _Crap, that's way too forward! I gotta backpedal..._

 **Midoriya (8:50am)**

 _I mean, it's totally fine if you're not!_

 _It's pretty sudden of me to ask, so I wouldn't blame you._

 _I've got nothing serious planned, so that's why I asked!_

 _No big deal!_

Izuku swiftly put his phone back in his pocket, before he could overload his classmate with a greater wall of text.

 _Well, that could've been said better…_

Sighing at his own (imagined) social ineptitude, Izuku rolled his shoulders, looking outside.

 _Maybe some exercise will take my mind off of things! Yeah, the weather's good and I'm falling behind my weekly kilometer count, so why not?_

With the determination to ignore any embarrassing thoughts, Izuku tied his shoes again and took off outside, waving goodbye to his classmates.

It was perfect weather for running. A blue sky ceiling welcomed him with the warmth of a calm morning. The wind was low, but it had enough presence to cool him down slightly.

Izuku went by his regular route, taking him bayside with a straightforward pavement. The only deviation he made was at the market stalls.

 **Tokoyami (9:35am)**

 _Forgive me for the tardy reply, I have only just arisen from sleeping._

 _I would certainly like to accept your proposal, but I'm afraid I cannot be free for long…_

 _Training and studies avail me, as they do for us all…_

 _What time would suit you?_

Izuku was tapping a reply before he even realised he was grinning.

 **Midoriya (9:36am)**

 _Anytime is fine with me! But I totally understand if you're already busy..._

 _I'm actually doing some training right now haha_

 _Nothing amazing though, just a bit of running._

 **Tokoyami (9:36am)**

 _I see._

 _It pains me to admit, but I've been negligent with my training as of late._

 _Aizawa-sensei's physical exam last week made that tragically clear._

 **Midoriya (9:37am)**

 _To be fair, that was pretty tough!_

 _U.A's been getting harder on us since the villain attacks, after all._

 _..._

 _Hey, maybe we could train together!_

 _(We could even spar, if you want!_

 _My quirk's pretty relient on close combat, so it'd be good to train against an agile quirk like yours!)_

 _Ah, but if you have plans of your own that's fine!_

 **Tokoyami (9:39am)**

 _An interesting idea…._

 _I don't currently have any plans of my own, and I see no reason to reject your suggestion at all._

 _Would you like to meet up today?_

 _I wouldn't mind practicing my combat skills._

 **Midoriya (9:41am)**

 _Yeah, sure! If that's alright with you, definitely!_

 _When do you wanna meet up?_

 **Tokoyami (9:42am)**

 _I can make any time you please._

 _Perhaps, as you're already training, I should come sooner rather than later?_

 _Would half an hour from now work for you?_

 **Midoriya (9:43am)**

 _That works for me!_

 _You wanna meet at the upper field? I can ask Aizawa-sensei if anyone is using the space..._

 **Tokoyami (9:44am)**

 _Very well. I'll make sure I'm prepared by then._

 _I look forward to it._

Izuku put his phone away and looked to the clear sky. An aroma of fresh fruit captured the peaceful atmosphere of the marketplace well.

 _...Why do I feel like apples all of a sudden?_

* * *

It was quarter past ten exactly when his raven-headed classmate arrived.

"Ah, Tokoyami-kun!" Izuku waved, perhaps a little too excitingly.

Tokoyami held up his hand calmly as a wave back. As he walked closer, Izuku noticed his calm expression. "Good to see you, Midoriya. How are things?"

Izuku smiled. "Can't complain! How about yourself?"

"I'm in fair spirits." Tokoyami replied, looking off towards nowhere in particular. "This is fine weather for training, I'm glad you invited me."

Izuku shook his head. "Oh no, it's nothing...Thank you for coming! I'm sure this will help both of us out!"

 _Besides, It's my fault we haven't done this sort of thing before…When was the last time we even hung out? Let alone just the two of us..._

"AHHH! THE SUN! IT BURNS!" A shrill voice bursted, startling Izuku out of his thoughts. The shadowy entity that came out of his classmate continued moaning. "WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME, FUMIKAGE?!"

"You know well why, cut the theatrics." Tokoyami rolled his eyes, then looked at Izuku. "Ignore him, he has a flair for the unnecessarily dramatic."

"HEY!"

"It's nice meeting you again, Dark Shadow." Izuku couldn't stop staring at the quirk. "Ah, that's right! The sun makes him physically weaker, doesn't it? I hope it's not too much of a strain!"

Tokoyami nodded. "It is rather bright, but it's good for training Dark Shadow's stamina. At the very least, it makes him easier to control. Not that I really need to use him, if we're just doing physical exercise...Either way, I wouldn't mind a break from him."

"I AM _RIGHT_ HERE!"

Tokoyami ignored him. "Regardless, shall we begin?"

Izuku gave a swift nod. "Yeah, let's get started!"

The first few minutes involved simple workouts, but later evolved into the fighting techniques Aizawa-sensei drilled into them. After having exhausted their upper bodies, they moved onto running, then more techniques, then stretches, then back to running again.

After the fifth repetition of this pattern, both students were practically laying on the grass.

"Light, blind me…" Tokoyami huffed. "I am...more out of shape...than I thought…"

"That's okay…" Izuku breathed deeply. "We went pretty hard that last time...Wanna take a break?"

"Gladly."

Izuku checked the time. "Woah, its nearly eleven thirty. I didn't realise how quickly time went by."

Tokoyami hummed. "I suppose it is nearly time for lunch. Perhaps you'd-"

"WE SHOULD GO TO TOWN AND GET SOME GRUB. I'M STARVING!" Dark Shadow interrupted.

"I was about to get to that, you heathen." Tokoyami dryly replied. "Not that you did any work to deserve food..."

"EXCUSE YOU, I HAD TO STAY INSIDE YOUR SWEATY BODY THE WHOLE TIME. I DESERVE IT."

"Lunch sounds good to me." Izuku smiled. "We could find a place in town and walk there. It's a perfect cooldown exercise, don't you think?"

Tokoyami nodded. "Very well. As it happens, I know a good place for coffee…"

By the strike of 11:30 the two classmates were on their way into the bustling coastal city. Izuku let himself relax in the comfortable silence of their walk, and appreciated just how nice everything was in the moment.

But of course, whenever his mind wandered, his brain started working.

"Hey, do you and Dark Shadow share the same appetite?" Izuku found himself asking, almost suddenly. "I mean, does he get hungry when you get hungry? It would make sense if he was a biological entity that was a part of your body, but I'm not even sure what Dark Shadow is made of-"

"Midoriya." Tokoyami politely stopped his rambling with that one word. "I am happy to discuss my quirk, but I can only answer one question at a time."

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Izuku held up his hands. "Ah, sorry. Bad habit…"

"Not a problem." Tokoyami looked up to the sky, thinking for a moment. "To answer your question; yes, I suppose we do share the same appetite. But it has nothing to do with biology but more...emotion, I suppose."

"Really?" Izuku tried to suppress his curiosity. "So, does that mean Dark Shadow acts based on...how you feel?"

"I...guess?" Tokoyami shook his head. "Forgive me, people have been trying to figure out Dark Shadow's temperament for years. There's a lot I still haven't figured out, myself…"

"That's okay! It's my fault for asking so many questions…" Izuku sighed. "Quirks can sure be complicated, huh?"

Tokoyami made a quiet laugh, which resonated in a low baritone. "I'm not even sure _he_ knows why he acts the way he does…"

Dark Shadow emerged, as if on cue. "WELL SOOORY! I CAN'T HELP BEING COMPLEX AND INTERESTING. IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR HAVING EMOTIONS, ISN'T IT?"

"Quiet, you." Tokoyami quietly snapped. "You're only allowed out in public during emergencies, need I remind you?"

"YEAH YEAH, I'VE HEARD IT A MILLION TIMES. SEE YA MIDORIYA!"

Before Izuku could even respond, Dark Shadow had retreat back into his classmate.

"Honestly…" Tokoyami muttered to himself, before turning to Izuku. "Most of the time I can control him during the day, but he gets incredibly...chatty, whenever I talk to people. Especially people I'm close to..."

 _People you're close to…? No, don't overthink it..._

"Heh, that makes sense." Izuku replied. "I guess Dark Shadow enjoys being let out a lot more than being kept inside. I would be too, if I was a quirk..."

There was an offbeat pause.

 _…._

 _Why the HELL did I say that?!_

 _If I was a quirk? What kind of person says that?!_

 _AHHHHHHHH!_

 _Stupid, stupid, STUPID!_

"I suppose…" Tokoyami nodded. By some miracle, Tokoyami hadn't noticed how _crazy_ Izuku sounded. Or, perhaps he chose to ignore it, to spare both of them the awkwardness. Izuku was eternally thankful either way.

By the time they reached the cafe, Izuku managed to calm himself down.

"Wow…" Izuku exclaimed. " _This_ is your regular cafe?"

The interior had a vintage feel to it all, breathing a cozy vibe. Record covers hung around the rustic fireplace like framed paintings, and of course there was a breezy jazz tune to add to it all. The smell of coffee beans especially captivated Izuku, and even though he knew nothing about making coffee, he could tell they were high quality.

"Is it to your liking?" Tokoyami asked, almost tentatively. "I understand if you find it...unusual."

"Are you kidding? This is awesome!" Izuku stepped forward to look around some more. "It's got such an authentic Western aesthetic...I'm surprised it isn't completely packed at this time!"

Tokoyami nodded, with a small smile. "It's a nice little spot. Small, quiet, and well hidden from crowds. I come here to relax, sometimes..."

 _Now that I think about it, I can totally see Tokoyami being into this kinda thing. It suits him!_

"Shall we order?" Tokoyami motioned to the counter. "No need to worry about the price, it's my treat."

At that exact moment Izuku noticed the prices listed on the chalkboard menu. He almost choked on thin air, no wonder the coffee smelled so good. "N-no way! I can't let you do that, Tokoyami-kun! I can pay for myself! It's fine!"

Tokoyami shook his head. "That cannot be allowed. I invited you here, so I really must insist-"

"But I invited you out to train with me in the first place! It's my fault we're even here in the first pla-"

"Midoriya." Tokoyami's gaze bore a hole through Izuku. "You have won many battles, but this won't be one of them. Your company is more than enough, and I know this place well. So please….Allow me."

 _But...But..._

But when Tokoyami spoke like that, his voice equally domineering as it was pleading, Izuku couldn't say anything, except a small "okay..."

 _Next time I'll pay, that's for sure! Wait, I shouldn't just assume there'll be a next time! But maybe…_

A moment later, two orders of coffee and a tray of pastries stood on the table between them. They sat in a secluded corner, the furthest from the exit, and it felt cozy.

Tokoyami had a sip of his coffee, a mochaccino on the dark side. He let out a small breath. "It's been a while, but this is exactly as I remember it."

Izuku gave his own cup a try, a vanilla latte that Tokoyami recommended. The blend of warmth and sweetness was almost therapeutic.

"Ah, I really needed this." Izuku gave an appreciative smile as the taste flourished. "I've really been missing out!"

"I'm glad you like it." Tokoyami replied, his stoic expression relaxed slightly.

For a small time, neither spoke a word to each other. Izuku easily leaned back into his seat, letting himself relax into the smooth vibes of the cafe.

"You know, this is the first time I've shown somebody this place." Tokoyami softly spoke, looking out of a nearby window.

Izuku snapped out of his daze. "Oh, really?"

Tokoyami nodded. "It's not that I've meant to hide it, but...it's has a rather niche theme, doesn't it?"

Izuku gave the place another look. "I guess, but that's not a bad thing, I think! It has...character!"

The avian shrugged, looking away again. "I suppose, but...many may call it a tad...pretentious."

Izuku stared at his classmate, who now quickly took to drinking his coffee.

 _Is Tokoyami...embarrassed? Is he embarrassed about his own tastes? I would never have guessed, he's usually so confident and cool about everything! I guess even he has insecurities about things, but that's okay! It's kind of...cute, actually. Why is that so cute? And WHY AM I THINKING ABOUT THIS?!_

Tokoyami's eyes flicked back to Izuku, noticing his strange expression. "Ah, forgive me, it is unbecoming to worry about such things. I know-"

"I think it's cool!" Izuku almost shouted. Thankfully the cafe had little customers as it was. "I mean, it's pretty elegant right? Not many people can fully enjoy that sort of thing, but you do, so who cares? And I think it's awesome, so there's that too!"

Tokoyami blinked, before leaning back in his seat. "Well, if it's to your liking…"

"It is!" Izuku leaned forward, determined to show interest. "How did you even find it?"

The avain student glanced towards the counter. "Well actually, I used to do part time work here, in middle school…"

Izuku's interest peaked. "Woah, really? What kind of work did you do?"

"Ah, well…" Tokoyami paused to take a sip, then let out a deep breath. "I worked as a waiter."

Izuku blinked. Tokoyami blinked back at him. The second offbeat pause of the day followed.

"Ah I'm sorry, I totally spaced out!" Izuku shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with being a waiter or anything, it's just that I was having trouble picturing you doing that kind of work. Not because it's strange, but more like a middle-schooler getting such a refined job that involves a lot of skills, especially in _this_ economy-"

"You're muttering again, Midoriya." Tokoyami sighed, his tone slightly embarrassed. "I only worked there for about a year, and it's not like I was always a waiter either."

 _Honestly, how many times have I mumbled today? This must be a new record…_

Izuku pulled himself together. "Ah, right. What did you do before that?"

"Kitchen hand." Tokoyami replied. "I had to wash and dry dishes faster than what was reasonable, and then remembering where everything went...Dreadful business."

"I can imagine…" Izuku turned his head towards where he guessed the kitchen was. "Well, at least you became a waiter afterwards! Were you promoted?"

"Not exactly…" Tokoyami took another sip, a much longer one. "After a few weeks I was moved to being a waiter, and kept away from the kitchen. That was certainly a good decision on their part…"

"Why's that?" Izuku asked.

Tokoyami paused, then let out a sigh. "My feathers...when they molt, they get _everywhere_. Even as a waiter I had to avoid getting it on the tables..."

"Ah, I see..." Izuku felt conflicted. Part of him wanted to laugh, but the other half… "Sorry, that must be embarrassing to remember…"

"I suppose, but it is a fact of life." Tokoyami returned to his calm nature quickly. "Looking back, working here was a good experience, but it made me realise something important."

"What was that?"

"The fact that I _never_ wanted to work in hospitality ever again." Tokoyami let out a small chuckle, as his face brightened for a second. It was an uncommon sight, but what felt even rarer was that _laugh_ , coated in a soft baritone which might as well have been made of gold.

It didn't last, however, and Tokoyami continued with a serious expression. "More importantly, it made me think about becoming a Pro Hero, if you could believe it."

Izuku blinked. "Woah, seriously?"

"Quite so." Tokoyami glanced off towards the other tables. "I wasn't great at serving customers, but I still enjoyed...fulfilling a role. A purpose, I suppose, in feeling responsible..."

 _Tokoyami-kun...that's so cool!_

Tokoyami turned his head, and noticed Izuku staring like an idiot. "Ah, but I have talked about myself a fair bit, haven't I? Forgive me, I forget myself…"

"No, it was really interesting!" Izuku spluttered, finally finding his voice. "A lot of people, even the best heroes sometimes, becomes heroes for fame, or status. I mean, it's not wrong to want that sort of thing, but I think wanting to feel responsible...is really admirable, Tokoyami-kun."

"...If you say so." Tokoyami replied in a much quieter voice, looking down to his coffee. "I am just happy to be here, among our class…"

As Tokoyami trailed off, Izuku couldn't help but feel even more impressed.

Izuku let out an excited grin. "Me too! Even now, I sometimes can't believe I get to be here..."

Tokoyami regarded Izuku with an interested look. "I am curious, what made you want to become a Hero, Midoriya? I can guess All Might was an influence..."

"Oh yeah, absolutely!" Izuku laughed a little. "You could probably tell, but ever since I was a kid he was my favourite Hero to follow. Without him...I don't think I'd be here, trying to become a hero."

 _No, I definitely wouldn't be here. I wouldn't even have a quirk, would I?_

"He was certainly an inspiration to many, myself included." Tokoyami nodded. "I believe it will be some time before anybody reaches the level he did again…"

"That's for sure…" Izuku smiled. "Even now, having him as a teacher is just...surreal."

Tokoyami nodded to that, pausing in thought. "Strangely, the more I think about it, you two are quite similar. But it makes sense, considering your quirks…"

"Yeah…" Izuku replied, perhaps too quietly. Talking about his quirk-All Might's quirk too-had the danger of accidentally exposing a long kept secret. Izuku liked Tokoyami, and if he was forced to say anything he would trust the raven headed boy enough to stay silent, but it wasn't worth the risk otherwise.

"Midoriya?"

Izuku reflexively snapped back into reality. "Y-Yeah?"

"...You're not going to have that apple tart, are you?" Tokoyami had the same expression he always had, but a tinge of hope colored his voice.

Izuku smiled. "Sure, it's all yours."

Before either of them knew it, it was well past noon. Tokoyami gave thanks to the cashier, and after exchanging some words in private, the two students left the cafe.

They walked the rest of the way back in silence, but it wasn't nearly as awkward as Izuku thought it would be. In fact, something about the silence felt _right_. Maybe it was the weather, it's inviting warmth allowing it to be quietly appreciated. Maybe it was the rich coffee, giving him a much needed energy boost that only caffeine could create.

Or maybe it was the calming presence that surrounded his classmate.

Tokoyami, ever the silent type, never looked uncomfortable in quietness. They walked side by side a few feet apart, but nothing about that felt distant. Izuku glanced at him a few times, but he could never read into the boy's expression. What was he thinking right now? What was he _feeling_ right now?

Before Izuku knew it, they had made it back to the school.

Tokoyami sighed beside him. "Well, as much as I'd like to do otherwise, I'm afraid I must leave you. Studies await on a wretched path…"

 _I could help you study! Maybe we can hang out some more?_

"Ah, that's right. I guess I should get back to training, myself..." Izuku smiled, but it felt bittersweet. "I hope I didn't take too much of your time, but I'm glad we could train together!"

"Likewise." Tokoyami gave a polite nod. "In any case, I must bid you farewell."

Izuku smiled the best he could as he watched Tokoyami turn to leave. Parting ways after having such a enjoyable time was never easy, but his classmate had things to do.

 _He's done so much for me already-oh crap, I totally forgot! How could I forget? What should I do? I can't just let it end like this! I gotta say something! SAY SOMETHING YOU IDIOT!_

"Ah, Tokoyami-kun!" Izuku spoke before he even realised it himself.

Tokoyami stopped and turned around. He didn't say a word, opting instead to let Izuku speak.

"Well, uh…" Izuku let out a breath, and fiddled with his hands. "I never thanked you...you know, for last night…"

Tokoyami raised a brow, then shook his head. "Ah, well...There is no need to thank me, Midoriya. It certainly cost no effort on my-"

"I mean it!" Izuku cut him off, stepping a little closer to his classmate. "I kept you up late with my rambling and it probably didn't make any sense at all but that didn't stop me from saying all that stuff anyway because I just couldn't stop-"

"Midoriya, it's fine." Now it was Tokoyami's turn to interrupt. The boy held a mysterious expression, but kept his voice warm. "If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to talk to you about it again sometime."

 _That'd be nice…Why is he being so nice?_

"Uh, s-sure!" Izuku mentally tried to get himself together, but his thoughts were failing him. "If it's not a bother, then definitely!"

Tokoyami nodded. "Very well. If you ever feel the need to talk, then please, send me a message online. I will reply post-haste."

Izuku smiled, trying to match Tokoyami's calm expression. "Yeah! W-will do!"

Tokoyami gave a small bow, and gave Izuku one last smile. "Until then, I'll be seeing you."

"Ah, see you around, then!" Izuku waved. "Good luck with your studying!"

"Thank you, Midoriya. I hope the rest of your training goes well."

With those last words, surprisingly warm, Tokoyami left in the direction of the dormitory.

 _So cool..._

Izuku shook his head after a minute of standing there. There was more training to do today, and it was time to get his head out of the clouds.

* * *

Nighttime curfew arrived at 10pm, as it always had, but Izuku had returned to his room long before that. These days, being out alone at night caused more trouble than it was worth, especially on a school night.

Izuku stared at the ceiling as he lay down. This was his least favourite part of the day.

 _I wonder long will it'll take me to fall asleep tonight?_

 _If I have to wake up at 7am for class tomorrow, then at the worst case scenario, I could get maybe….six hours of sleep?_

 _God, I feel tired…_

 _I can't keep doing this every night._

To distract himself from his self-degrading introspection, Izuku grabbed his phone and stared at the lock screen. Somehow, it was already 11:30pm.

 _Why am I like this…._

There was no point fussing over sleep now, so he unlocked his phone.

 _I shouldn't be doing this. But I guess it's better than doing nothing and going insane…_

 _Yeah, that doesn't justify it, does it?_

 _Oh well…_

Izuku flicked into social media. His profile, his classmates' profiles, his newsfeed, pictures, pointless videos, overused memes. He scrolled through everything, until even that drove him to boredom.

His thoughts wondered again.

 _I'm glad I could hang out with Tokoyami-kun today. He's a really nice guy, huh?_

 _I don't think I've heard him talk so much, either! I mean, maybe that was because I talked a lot, so he felt obligated to reply. God, I hope I didn't make him feel uncomfortable…_

 _But...he didn't seem uncomfortable, right?_

 _Either way, I had a really good time…_

Izuku finger automatically tapped into his messages, until he found his conversation with Tokoyami.

 _Oh hey, it looks like he's active again tonight!_

 _Should I…?_

 _No, I shouldn't._

 _What else am I going to do, though?_

 _..._

 _Ah, screw it!_

Izuku started typing.

 **Midoriya (11:37pm):**

 _Hey Tokoyami-kun._

 _Sorry if this is a bit random, but I just wanted to thank you for training with me today!_

 _And for taking me to that cafe! I've never had anything so amazing before!_

 _Well anyway, I was thinking about what you said before._

 _About wanting to talk, I mean..._

 _Are you free tonight?_

 _Ah, but if you can't that's okay! This is pretty short notice haha._

Tokoyami's reply couldn't have arrived faster.

 **Tokoyami (11:38pm):**

 _Of course._

 _Would you like to come over to my room, then? We are on the same floor, after all._

Izuku dropped his phone with a surprised yelp, immediately picking it up again in anxious excitement.

 **Midoriya (11:38pm):**

 _Your room? Are you sure that's alright?_

 _We can just go downstairs and chat in the mess hall! That's way less invasive, isn't it?_

 **Tokoyami (11:38pm):**

 _If we did that, we'd risk being caught by Aizawa-sensei. I heard from Kaminari that he sometimes lies await, hoping to catch anyone off guard._

 _I don't know about you, but that is a fate I would rather avoid._

 _And I do not mind at all. I trust you, Midoriya._

Izuku's chest tightened, but his shoulders began to relax.

 **Midoriya (11:39pm):**

 _Alright, I'll come over._

The hallway was empty when Izuku walked out of his room.

 _Am I really doing this?_

By the time Izuku knocked on his classmate's bedroom door, he realised that this was really happening.

 _I mean, it's not a big deal or anything. It's just...he INVITED me to HIS ROOM!_

 _AT NIGHT!_

Before Izuku could reconsider anything, the door opened.

"Hello again, Midoriya." Tokoyami, wearing black nightwear which suited him surprisingly well, stepped aside elegantly and held out a hand. "Please, come in."

Tokoyami's room was just as Izuku had last seen it. A dark theme for a dark student, but not in a bad way-Izuku added to himself. In fact, it was oddly calming stepping into such a room at night. Candlelight set a somber, yet mellow tone. It all made sense, somehow.

"Thanks." Izuku stepped inside, taking in the room once more. "Wow, this is all so cool…"

The green haired boy had muttered that to himself, but Tokoyami had heard him. "Do you mean the room? You...like it?"

Izuku looked at his classmate. "Well yeah, of course! Why wouldn't I?"

"It's just...ah nevermind. I'm glad you approve."

"I do." Izuku smiled. "In fact...You remember the dorm presentation contest we all had a while back? I...actually voted for you as Dorm King."

Tokoyami stared at him. "Y-You can't be serious...why?"

"I just...really liked it." Izuku replied, embarrassed. "Maybe it's not my usual taste, but it suits you so well! Also, you have a _sword_. That's awesome!"

"Ah, well…It's only a replica." Tokoyami modestly looked away. It seemed the raven-headed boy wasn't used to receiving compliments. No, that wasn't quite it. Tokoyami simply wasn't the type to boast about himself, and Izuku respected that.

 _Either way, it's still cool!_

The raven faced boy moved to his bed and sat down, motioning for Izuku to take a seat on the nearby chair. Izuku felt the velvet leather in the cushion, and wondered if it belonged in an old gothic mansion, once.

"So, Midoriya…" Tokoyami began, sitting upright in his bed. "If you don't mind me asking, what did you want to talk about? Is there...something on your mind?"

 _Oh right, I came here for a reason. Crap, I totally didn't think this through!_

"Uh well…" Izuku fidgeted. "I don't know, nothing in particular. I just..need to take my mind away from trying to sleep, if that makes sense…"

 _Argh, that didn't make sense at all!_

"I see." Tokoyami glanced to the ceiling. "Sleep can be a difficult thing, can't it? At times, I too have trouble falling into slumber…"

Izuku looked Tokoyami over, thought for a second, then carefully spoke. "Because of Dark Shadow, right?"

Tokoyami said nothing for a bit, but then sighed. "In a sense, yes. I may have said this before, but it's complicated. I have trouble explaining it…"

Izuku straightened himself up, suddenly feeling focussed. "Ah, I'm sorry! I don't want to force you or anything. It must be really personal and complicated, and even though sometimes it's important to talk about not everyone wants to open up like that so I understand-"

"I don't mind talking about it." Tokoyami interjected, then let out a calm smile. "But perhaps I am not one that needs concern tonight. Are you sure you don't want to...talk about anything yourself?"

 _Dammit! I rambled on too much again!_

 _Why do I keep doing that? Why can't I have a normal conversation without doing that?_

 _Keep it together._

"Ah, well…" Izuku looked at the floor, hoping to cover his uncertainty. "You know me, my mind and mouth runs a mile a minute. Whenever I talk about something, I can't really stop, you know?"

 _That sounded weird._

 _Of course it did! I need to think more about what I say._

 _But I can't stop thinking!_

 _Why am I like this?_

Tokoyami spoke up in a noticeably softer voice. "Midoriya, are you feeling alright?"

"I'm _fine_." Izuku replied, putting a bit too much weight on the word. "Just a little tired I suppose…"

His classmate didn't say anything in reply. Izuku didn't know what else to say, either. Not without going on a rampage of run-on sentences. He had embarrassed himself enough tonight.

A painful minute passed in silence. Izuku wanted to scream at himself, scream out every single grime of thought that plagued his brain, as his eyes began to leak.

"OH COME ON!" Dark Shadow burst, ripping himself out of Tokoyami. "THIS IS KILLING ME. SAY SOMETHING ALREADY!"

Izuku looked up to stare at Dark Shadow, Tokoyami looking equally startled by his quirk's appearance.

"You-! What do you think you're-"

"OH NO NO, YOU DON'T GET TO COMPLAIN NOW." Dark Shadow pointed an accusing talon at his user. "YOU TOLD ME TO BE SILENT SO YOU COULD HAVE A LOVEY-DOVEY HEART TO HEART WITH IZUKU, BUT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED EXCEPT AWKWARD SILENCE. YOU CLEARLY NEED ME, SO LET ME DO THE TALKING!"

 _Did he just call me Izuku? Why? Do quirks not follow honorific naming conventions? I mean, there's no real reason why they should, in theory, but…_

 _Wait! Heart to heart? Lovey-dovey?! What the hell?!_

The otherwise intimidating quirk turned to Izuku, eyes alit with childish excitement. "HEY IZUKU-OH WAIT, YOU PREFER LAST NAME DON'T YOU? HEY MIDORIYA, WHAT'S BOTHERING YOU? CAN I HELP?"

"You utter fool!" Tokoyami, almost beyond words at this point, spoke up in a soft growl. "It is no business of yours, no business of _ours_ , to force Midoriya to talk-"

"YEAH YEAH, I KNOW." Dark Shadow rolled his eyes. "BUT MAYBE HE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT HE'S WORRIED HOW YOU'LL REACT, OR YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND, OR WHATEVER! AM I WRONG?"

Tokoyami didn't say a word, but he glanced at Izuku, looking for an answer he didn't ask for.

Izuku shook his head, unsure whether to feel happy or ashamed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you guys so much! I..."

 _I don't know what to say. What can I say to make everything better? I don't know!_

"Midoriya." Tokoyami spoke quietly, his eyes shifted to the floor beside Izuku. "I have no right to intrude...but as a classmate-no-as a _friend_ …"

"WHAT HE'S TRYING TO SAY IS, WE WANT TO HELP!" Dark Shadow said, with less boisterousness than before. "I TALK A LOT TOO, YOU KNOW! AND SINCE THIS BIRD-BRAIN ISN'T MUCH CONVERSATION, IT'S NICE TO TALK TO SOMEONE...TALKATIVE!"

Izuku took turns looking at Tokoyami and Dark Shadow. "You...you don't mind my rambling?"

Tokoyami shook his head, lifting his gaze up slightly. "You are a man of many words, Midoriya. It is simply an element of your intelligence...I would never fault you for it."

"THAT'S HIS WAY OF SAYING HE LIKES HEARING YOU TA-"

"That's enough out of you." Tokoyami glared hard at his quirk, retracting him forcefully into his being. "Honestly, the things he says…"

Despite himself, Izuku laughed. Despite his laughter, Izuku cried. "I...I'm glad…I was worried...I didn't want to be a bother, with everything I say. I mean, even _I_ drive myself crazy, sometimes..."

"Midoriya..." Tokoyami's eyes slowly meet Izuku's. "If it ever seemed like it was a bother to me, that is my fault only. I...have always had trouble expressing myself. Forgive me."

"No, no…" Izuku wiped his face with an arm. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's just...you're so _patient_ and it seems like I'm taking advantage of that, in a way…"

"Absolutely not." Tokoyami answered immediately. "Truth be told, I may have been taking advantage of you. I...don't talk to others often enough. But you make conversation easy, especially for Dark Shadow…"

"Really?" Izuku shuffled his chair a little closer to his classmate. "You really mean that? You're not...you're not just saying that to be nice? Not that I think you're the type to be dishonest, but-ah, there I go again! Are you _sure_ it's okay?"

"If I have to keep saying that, I will." Tokoyami replied. "You do not need to hold yourself back, not here, not tonight…"

The way Tokoyami trailed off softly made Izuku go crazy. In fact, every word the boy spoke in that dark, mystifyingly kind manner made Izuku lose sense of everything else.

Izuku made himself take a deep breath, before he faced Tokoyami with a genuine smile. "Thank you, Tokoyami-kun."

Tokoyami coughed and hurriedly looked away. "D-Don't mention it. I was just simply...I mean to say...Ah, would you look at the time? The night has certainly escaped us, has it not?"

Izuku blinked, checking the time on his phone. It was fair past midnight.

"Oh gosh, you're right!" Izuku got up from his chair, suddenly yawning as tiredness made its debut. "I should get back to my room, and try to actually get some sleep, huh?"

"Mmm." Tokoyami replied, still facing the wall beside him. "Pleasant as this was, we will have to be up early for class. I would rather not have Iida talk our ears off about tardiness…"

That made Izuku chuckle. "Yeah, same here. But anyway...thanks for letting me come over. I know it was super sudden and unexpected but-"

"Anytime, Midoriya" Tokoyami was already lying down at this point. "Until tomorrow, may peaceful rest find you."

"LATER, MIDORIYA!" The familiar voice of the quirk added. "GET SOME REST SO WE CAN TALK MORE TOMORROW, OKAY?"

"Will do, Dark Shadow!" Izuku made a wave. "I'll see you tomorrow, Tokoyami-kun!"

"Goodnight, Midoriya."

Izuku closed the door to Tokoyami's room behind him quietly, not wanting to disturb anything. He hurried back to his own bedroom, rebellious excitement combatting his nightly fatigue. When he crashed onto his bed, happiness carried him into the night.


	3. Birds of a Feather

_HEY…_

 _…_

 _HEY, FUMIKAGE…_

 _…_

 ** _HEY DUMMY-KAGE WAKE UP!_**

Dark Shadow's screech startled Fumikage into sitting up. "You infernal...what is it?"

The sentient quirk leaped out of his body and glared at him. "OH, I'M SORRY! NEXT TIME I'LL LET YOU SLEEP SOME MORE SO WE CAN **BE LATE FOR CLASS**!"

Fumikage blinked, turning to the digital clock on his desk. Classes were about to start in ten minutes.

"Great…" Fumikage launched out of bed, beginning his scramble to get ready posthaste. "An earlier warning would have helped, you know…"

"SURE SURE, BUT THEN I'D HAVE HAD TO INTERRUPT YOUR DREAMS ABOUT IZU-"

" _Don't_ start with that again." Fumikage found his clothes and took extra care with putting his shirt on. "I've had more than enough of your input after yesterday…"

"OH PLEASE, YOU TOTALLY NEEDED ME. BESIDES, **_IZUKU_** SURE DIDN'T MIND!"

Fumikage ignored him, mostly out of spite but also in the fact that he had no counterpoint. Midoriya had come to _him_ , and shared a level of insecurity that he never would have imagined was present in the young man.

 _I didn't even know what to say back then. Even when it was clear that he was upset, I couldn't say anything. If Dark Shadow hadn't said anything…_

"IF I HADN'T SAID ANYTHING, YOU WOULD'VE BEEN TOTALLY SCREWED!" Dark Shadow grinned wryly. "AND NOT IN **THE FUN WAY,** YOU KNOW?"

"You are unbearable." Fumikage finally had his shoes on, so he swiftly packed his bag with the books he needed. " _Please_ , for the sake of both of us, don't do or say anything like that in front of my classmates, especially-"

Fumikage stopped himself, but Dark Shadow caught on. "ESPECIALLY IZUKU, GOT IT! YOU GOT A SILENT, GOTHIC ANIME SIDE CHARACTER REP TO KEEP. SURE, SURE! ANYTHING FOR IZUKU!"

Fumikage gave his quirk a firm look. "You shouldn't call him "Izuku". It's disrespectful."

"ONLY IN YOUR FEUDALISTIC SENSE OF POLITENESS!"

 _Feudalistic, that's an advanced word for him._

"I HEARD THAT!"

 _I know you did_.

Bag in hand, Fumikage went out the door into a swift walk to class. He had managed to brush his teeth and tidy up his feathers before leaving, but breakfast would have to wait until later.

Fumikage only made it halfway across the courtyard by the time the bell struck. He broke into a near sprint, knowing that it wouldn't make much difference. Five minutes later, he burst into the homeroom of Class-A as quietly as he could.

Everyone noticed.

"Tokoyami Fumikage..." Aizawa-sensei paused in the middle of chalking something lazily on the board. "Unlike you to be late...but no matter. Take a seat."

"I am sorry for my tardiness, Sensei."

After a bow, Fumikage calmly found his seat, avoiding any further hassle.

Iida, ever the class representative, sent him a reprimanding glare which Fumikage pretended not to see. Fortunately nobody else appeared bothered by his tardiness. Fumikage walked to his desk and sat down, slightly mortified.

 _It was foolish of me to sleep in. I mustn't let it happen again. I wonder...does it look like I've slept in? Most likely..._

Midoriya, only one seat diagonally from him, turned to send him a smile, but that only worsened his embarrassment. "Morning, Tokoyami-kun!"

"Good morning, Midoriya." Fumikage replied. "Did you sleep well?"

"Oh yeah, I went out like a light!" Midoriya leaned a little closer to Fumikage, lowering his voice. "Thanks for hanging out last night, by the way…"

"But of course. I didn't mind at all."

 _I imagine he still recalls last night, but in what light? No matter, I must not distract myself needlessly today..._

Homeroom went by quickly, as it always did. Aizawa's voice, while borderline droning, held an authority that was never questioned. The roll was called, Iida was in charge of course, and after some basic announcements the first period of mathematics approached. Ectoplasm taught the subject, a fierce opponent in battle-but equally so in teaching such a difficult subject.

 _GOD, I HATE ALGEBRA! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ALGEBRA?_

 _You say that for every subject we study. Be quiet._

Fumikage stared at the textbook full of maddening problems. Math was his worst subject, as the midterm exams proved unequivocally.

 _The quadratic equation goes… minus b plus minus the square root of...how does that apply here? No, I'm using the wrong equation. Troublesome indeed…_

Fumikage observed his classmates.. Aoyama tried to bring attention to himself, but Fumikage didn't look at him long enough to see how. Kaminari appeared to be struggling, granting Fumikage some relief, while Ashido was in her own world-probably doodling something in her notes.

Izuku scribbled through the problems as well as he did with any other subject. Bakugo was doing the same thing but much more aggressively, cursing under his breath. He didn't even need to observe Yaoyorozu or Iida to know they were doing just fine. Chances were they were all solving equations much more complex than Fumikage was.

 _No use comparing myself to others, but...I placed 14th on the exams, after all. Not exactly impressive…_

 _OH NO, YOU'RE NOT GETTING YOURSELF BUGGED ABOUT THAT AGAIN, ARE YOU? WHO CARES ABOUT GRADES WHEN YOU KICKED ASS AT THAT SPORT FESTIVAL?_

 _Doing well in combat is useless if we don't train our minds as well. Being a hero means applying everything we learn effectively, and to do that, we must train ourselves to learn difficult information. Even when we don't want to..._

 _OH YEAH? AND HOW DOES HIGH SCHOOL CALCULUS APPLY TO BEING A HERO?_

 _I...don't know._

Tapping his pencil on the desk repeatedly didn't help his mind work, but there was nothing else for it. Once again, he would have to concede this subject for another time.

After 45 minutes of frustration in one subject, Fumikage braced himself for another; Classical Japanese. It wasn't nearly as difficult as math, but writing essay answers was a different beast entirely. Not to mention the required reading had some _monstrous_ kanji.

 _WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THIS GENJI GUY, ANYWAY? HOW MANY LOVE AFFAIRS DOES HE NEED TO HAVE IN ONE STORY?_

 _It doesn't matter, be quiet._

 _HEY, DO YOU THINK WE'D GET LAID THAT MUCH IF WE WERE BORN IN THOSE TIMES?_

 _Is that seriously where your mind goes?_

 _NO, IT'S SERIOUSLY WHERE_ ** _OUR_ **_MIND GOES!_

 _Unbelievable..._

"Midoriya-san, read the next passage, if you please." The teacher, whom Fumikage couldn't recall the name of, commanded politely.

"Ah, yes sir!"

That caught Fumikage's attention. Dark Shadow's distractions made him lose his place in the reading, so he turned his attention to Midoriya. Yes, that was a good excuse.

The bushy green haired young man stood up, clearing his voice with a hint of nervousness.

" _Genji did not have the strength to lift her in his arms, and it was Koremitsu who wrapped her in a padded mat and laid her in the carriage…_ "

Midoriya spoke every word carefully clear and without mistake. His voice, while lacking some confidence in volume, carried the emotion of the tragedy, making the story come alive. When he was told to stop, Fumikage felt it had been too soon. He wanted to hear more of the story, told in that same timidly charming tone.

 _OH, YOU HAVE IT_ ** _BAD_ **_._

 _What...what are you talking about?_

 _OH I DUNNO. MAYBE THE GUY YOU CAN'T STOP STARING AT?_

Fumikage quickly turned his gaze back to his desk, back to the reading.

 _...I spaced out._

 _UH HUH, THAT TENDS TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU STARE AT A CUTE GUY, HUH?_

Fumikage choked on air, coughing perhaps a bit too loudly. Fortunately, upon looking around, nobody had noticed.

 _Degenerate demon! Why do you ramble on about such things? In class no less!_

 _DON'T PLAY DUMB, YOU WERE THINKING IT TOO! MIDORIYA IS-_

 _Shut up!_

Kouda tapped him on the shoulder, causing Fumikage to turn to the seat next to him. A look of concern coloured the quiet boy's face as he held his thumb up in question.

 _Am I okay? That is certainly a good question..._

"I'm alright, Kouda." Fumikage quietly replied. "I was simply...recalling the darkness of the kanji plaguing us all. How incorrigible..."

Kouda gave a slightly amused smile, and with a nod he returned his focus back to class.

 _NICE SAVE, MR EMOTIONAL._

Fumikage didn't dignify that with a response.

The following break interval was short, but it gave Fumikage enough time to eat-and _heavens_ did he need the energy. His favourite spot was among the trees outside the classroom building, which gave him a quiet space to think.

 _What on earth has possessed you today? Are you trying to make me fail in class?_

 _OH FUMI, WHATEVER COULD YOU POSSIBLY MEAN?_

 _Do not toy with me. You've been behaving differently. Less aggressive, but more...more..._

 _HORNY?_

The crass word revolted Fumikage, but he sighed.

 _I was about to say "hormonal" but...yes._

Dark Shadow smirked in his mind.

 _HEY, ONE OF US HAS TO SAY THESE THINGS! YOU CERTAINLY DON'T, THE WHITE KNIGHT YOU ARE..._

 _…Regardless, it's an unnecessary distraction. I need to think about my studies-_

 _-YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT IZU-KUN, THAT'S WHAT!_

 _Again with the...nevermind that! What in the seven circles of inferno makes you think I'd...what you're implying...it is not so!_

 _AHAHAHA! HOLY CRAP, YOU'RE HOPELESS! I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL WHEN HE'S AROUND, WHEN YOU HEAR HIM TALK, WHEN YOU TALK TO HIM, EVERYTHING!_

 _You don't know anything-_

 _AND C'MON, DON'T YOU EVER THINK ABOUT HIM SHIRTLESS? LIKE THAT_ ** _ONE_** _TIME IN THE LOCKERS?_

Fumikage desperately tried to suppress the image, but that only reinforced the subject from his memory. Dark Shadow cackled.

 _OH YEAH, HOW COULD YOU FORGET THAT? THEN AGAIN, THE ENTIRE CLASS IS FULL OF BEEFCA-_

 _The depths of hell pierce your putrid tongue and all its scandalising libels! You vile, disgusting, unsacred, filthy, perverted, grimy, Mineta-like-_

 _OKAY OKAY, CALM YOUR VOCABULARY! I'M JUST SAYING, YOU CAN'T DENY ANYTHING WITH ME!_

Fumikage grunted irritably, and jumped down from his tree. "It's about time I head back to class. Time to get going…"

 _OH OKAY, COOL! IGNORE ME BY TALKING TO YOURSELF! LIKE YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT BEFORE! THAT IS SO CLASSIC YOU!_

Fumikage walked back to the classroom building, making sure to control his breathing.

 _If I make it through the rest of the day, give me a medal._

Double period was physical training, a mandatory subject for obvious reasons, allowing Fumikage to take a mental break. Of course, fighting still required brain power in its own way, but at least it made sense to him.

Fumikage was paired with Shouji today, neither uncommon nor a surprise. While his quirk had a decent range, the larger boy had greater strength and physical versatility. Even on a good day, Fumikage had difficulty sparring against him.

And today was not a good day. Fumikage, still fazed by his frustrations in the last classes, barely managed to keep focussed. Dark Shadow's actions reflected his owner's mood; while he had been obnoxiously energetic in the classroom, in combat the quirk hardly responded to his commands.

 _Faster! We must move faster! Attack and defend, faster!_

 _I'M DOING MY BEST HERE! IT'S SO BRIGHT OUT HERE I CAN BARELY REACH HIM._

 _Enough excuses, we cannot let ourselves be-_

The last punch Shoji threw at him interrupted his thoughts and pierced through Dark Shadow, knocking the wind out of Fumikage and causing him to fall backwards. He could only catch his breath after hitting the ground.

 _You were supposed to block that. What happened?_

 _DON'T PIN THIS ON ME! TELLING ME TO BE FASTER DOESN'T MAKE ME FASTER, YOU KNOW!_

 _Tch._

Shoji was at his side a second later, offering a hand. "You okay?"

"I'm alright." As punches went, Fumikage had suffered worse, but that didn't ease his embarrassment. He took Shoji's hand. "I was careless but...that was a good hit."

Shoji laughed lightly. "I'm surprised. Didn't think you'd leave yourself open there, but we all make mistakes, right?"

"Right…" Fumikage appreciated the warm compassion, but he kept a serious face. "I won't do it again, so let's have another round..."

"If you say so."

Fumikage didn't have much more success for the rest of the period, but he managed a few good hits against the larger male. Even if he wasn't mentally sharp today, the brutal training for the Provisional License exam had strengthened his technique. Dark Shadow, while barely obedient at the best of times, followed orders well when the time required it. Unfortunately Shoji had also improved significantly, made evident by his punches knocking the wind out of Fumikage.

The lunch bell couldn't have rang sooner.

 _More bruises. That'll take some time to heal…_

 _YOU KNOW WHAT WON'T TAKE TIME TO HEAL? MY FEELINGS!_

 _I won't apologise for commanding you in battle. We need to get it together…_

 _HMPH!_

When everyone changed back into their school clothes, Fumikage could tell at a glance Shoji had taken less hits than he did. He made sure to avoid staring, but that only made Dark Shadow cackle even more.

 _YOU CAN'T DENYYYYY IT. COME ON, YOU KNOW YOU WANNA LOOK._

 _Shut up shut up shut up shut up….._

After that ordeal Fumikage found himself walking around the school a bit, wondering how to spend his time. He didn't feel like sitting in a tree for an entire hour, not today. Being alone to think wouldn't help him in this case, but a quiet place would.

After eating a sandwich for lunch, he went to the library. If he was fortunate, nobody would be there to enable Dark Shadow's harassment.

 _A book to read would be nice, just to distract myself..._

 _OH_ ** _GOD_ **_, DON'T TELL ME. BORING BUT EDGY POETRY?_

Fumikage huffed, ignoring the quirk. He actually _had_ planned to read _The Raven_ , but Dark Shadow's obnoxious admonition made him change his mind.

 _No, reading something enjoyable will only delay responsibility, won't it? I have my textbooks, might as well use them..._

 _NOOOOOOOOOOOO! THAT'S EVEN WORSE!_

 _Shut up._

He wasn't in the mind to even _look_ at Calculus, that had fried his brain enough for one day. Modern Japanese seemed approachable, and if Fumikage remembered correctly, that would be the period after lunch. A head-start may be nice for a change.

 _HEAD-START? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THE READING IS GONNA BE TODAY?_

 _I...think so? Perhaps I'll revise what we did last class..._

He began reading an academic essay on the themes of Haruki Murakami's _Norwegian Wood_. Fumikage had heard of the author, but this class was the first time he read anything from him. Half an hour passed as he read about the themes of love, loss, and sexual liberty within the coming of age story of a young man's romance.

 _WHY DOES EVERYTHING WE READ HAVE TO BE ABOUT SEX?!_ _  
_

 _I do not know! Why must you comment on it?_

 _HOW CAN I NOT?_

Jotting down quotes in his notebook was the best Fumikage could do in his current mindset. At least the passages themselves weren't explicit, and they were much easier to understand than _Genji_. The quotes themselves, spoken by a main character who had suffered immense tragedy and complicated relationships, resonated with Fumikage, though he wasn't sure why.

With about twenty minutes before the end of lunch, Fumikage moved onto English. Another reasonably doable subject, it had been Fumikage's highest midterm score-though that isn't saying much. Maybe one day he'd do well enough to make his mother proud. She had been fluent in the language since graduating university, but Fumikage wasn't at the level to simply converse with her, nor did he want to take her time by asking her to tutor him.

 _That's right, we had homework for this, didn't we?_

Fumikage attempted problem after problem, constantly checking his answers with a Japanese-English dictionary inside the textbook. The grammar was devilishly irregular, but the spelling to pronunciation was even more confusing. Present Mic, ever the confidently loud teacher, made it all sound so easy. It was one thing to remember any of the rules, but applying it fluently in writing was a monumental task in of itself.

 _To be...or not to be._

 _I am...he is...she is… they ARE..._

 _"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"..._

 _That all looks correct...Somewhat. At least this doesn't go into our final grades..._

Fumikage left the library just before the bell rang, feeling a little bit more satisfied with himself. At least he had gotten something productive done today, even if he was still less than ideally prepared.

That feeling was of little comfort during class, when entirely new content was introduced. As Dark Shadow wailed, Fumikage mentally crawled through the rest of his classes the best he could.

When the final bell rung, Fumikage felt his brain collapse.

 _Another day of class completed…_

 _FINALLY! WHAT SHOULD WE DO NOW? SOMETHING FUN, RIGHT? RIGHT?_

 _If it's within your definition of fun, then no._

 _SPOILSPORT! WHY CAN'T YOU LIGHTEN UP FOR-_

"Tokoyami-kun!"

For a second Fumikage's mind froze, even Dark Shadow stopped himself from talking.

Fumikage made a quick recovery, looking up at his classmate. "Midoriya. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good!" Midoriya's face was as bright as always. "Are you heading back to the dorms?"

Fumikage stood up, lifting his bag. "Indeed, I was just heading out. How about yourself?"

"Yeah, same here! Maybe we could go together? I mean, only if you want of course!"

"OF COURSE HE WANTS TO!" Dark Shadow leaped out without warning, and an ear piercing volume. "IN FACT, HE HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME YESTERDAY HE WAS JUST **DYING** TO SEE-"

"I don't mind at all." Fumikage cut in desperately. "But of course, only if you don't mind _him_ pestering us on the way…"

"SCREW YOU, I'M THE BEST PART!"

Midoriya laughed, which almost made up for Dark Shadow's behaviour all together. "Hey Dark Shadow, good to see you again."

"LIKEWISE! NOW COME ON, LET'S GO HOOOOME!"

Fumikage kept his expression blank, but inwardly cursed.

 _What do you think you're doing?_

 _C'MON DUDE! WALKING HOME TOGETHER? YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?_

 _Nothing. It means nothing! Will you stop making mountains out of-_

"Tokoyami-kun? Is something wrong?"

Fumikage swore internally. Midoriya's worried face was the last thing he wanted to cause. Dark Shadow wasn't saying anything now.

He tried to make his reply casual. "Hmm? Oh, forgive me. I was thinking of something else…"

"Ah, right…" Midoriya nodded, but his face kept curious.

Impulsively, Fumikage searched his mind for an excuse. "I was thinking...about the upcoming finals. A perilous time, to be sure."

 _Fool! How can I make Midoriya relate to my academic shortcoming? He's one of the top students in the class!_

"Oh yeah, that's not far away huh?" Midoriya replied. "There's a lot to take in...but we'll get through it!"

The bright optimism in his voice felt genuine, but it clashed with Fumikage's inner cynic. "You certainly will, if the mid-terms are any indication…"

Fumikage despised the words as soon as he said them. He inadvertently coated them with a thin layer of sarcastic jealousy, forecasting his bitter insecurities. Midoriya didn't deserve any of that, especially when he was just trying to encourage him.

The green haired boy didn't see it that way and laughed modestly. "Ah w-well...it doesn't mean I enjoy the studying or anything-well okay maybe I do enjoy the satisfaction of _understanding_ something I didn't before but…Hey Tokoyami-kun, how do you study?"

Fumikage blinked, the quick question took him by surprise.

Midoriya suddenly shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so direct! I was just wondering...I mean, it's none of my business how you spend your time but…"

 _I think I know what he's trying to say…_

"I understand your concern, Midoriya." Fumikage suppressed a sigh. "My midterms were far from outstanding, and I suppose I'm not entirely on top of classwork either…"

That only agitated his classmate even more. "Oh no no no! I didn't mean….Well okay, I guess maybe...I'm just...Sorry, I'm not explaining myself well..."

"HE WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU WANNA STUDY TOGETHER, OBVIOUSLY!"

Fumikage could only stare at his quirk.

Midoriya blinked. "Well, yeah...If you want to we can-and I mean only if _you_ want to-we could study together sometime? I mean, working with others for me makes it a little less boring, even if that isn't saying much…"

 _How...how did you know Midoriya wanted to study with me?_

 _INTUITION, DUH!_

 _Tch...more like a lucky guess, you reckless-_

"WE'D LOVE TO!" Dark Shadow responded. "HELL KNOWS THIS GUY NEEDS IT!"

Fumikage restrained his frustration, glancing at his quirk. "As if you understand the schoolwork any better than I do…"

 _HA! I AIN'T TALKING ABOUT THE SCHOOLWORK, LOVEBIRD!_

Heat rushed to Fumikage head, then straight to his stomach, stirring butterflies. It must have been the sunny weather, a coincidence surely.

Midoriya fortunately didn't notice. "Well maybe...if you're free later today, we could revise a bit together? I'm a little behind in a few things myself…"

"YES YES YES!"

 _You do not speak for me, demon._

 _WHAT, ARE YOU GONNA SAY NO?_

 _...Damn it._

Fumikage gave a calm nod to Midoriya. "Today can work for me. When would you like to meet?"

"Oh! Um, hmm…" Fumikage almost expect him to launch into another mumble, but instead he keenly nodded. "Okay, how about we do it after dinner? That'll be good for our energy levels!"

"TRUUUUE! THIS GUY GETS SO GRUMPY ON AN EMPTY STOMACH!"

Fumikage gripped his fists quietly, keeping his voice steady. "A novel idea indeed. Very well, where shall we meet after dinner? My room?"

 _SMOOTH!_

 _Shut up._

Midoriya considered it. "Ah well, I wouldn't mind but…Maybe the lighting would be a little…"

Fumikage could only nod. "Right..."

 _FAILURE! UTTER FAILURE!_

"Well if you want, we can do it in my room?" Midoriya's face lacked certainty. "There should be enough room, and it's probably going to be quieter than in the hall…"

 _SUCCESS! UTTER SUCCESS!_

 _I want to strangle you._

Fumikage gave another calm nod. "If it suits you, then it suits me. It's a plan."

"Okay sweet! Let's do it!"

They had gotten to the dorm mess hall by this point. Other Class-A members were hanging around, but Fumikage didn't pay much attention. The two of them continued walking up to their room floor.

"So what do you plan to do today, Tokoyami-kun?" Midoriya asked. "Before dinner, I mean."

Fumikage took a second to stare off. That was a good question; what _did_ he feel like doing today?

"OH! WE SHOULD DO SOME MORE TRAINING. CAN WE PLEEE-"

"I think I'll go read some poetry for a bit. Something to relax, perhaps."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! NOOOOOOOOO!"

Fumikage repressed a smirk. "And you, Midoriya? What do you plan?"

"Ah well…" Midoriya scratched the back of his neck. "I don't like to seem predictable, but I might do some more training today. I might even be onto a new technique!"

"OH MY GOD CAN THE TWO OF YOU TRADE QUIRKS, PLEASE?" Dark Shadow swooned next to Midoriya. "YOU'D BE WAY MORE FUN TO TRAIN WITH THAN THIS GUY!"

"Get back here, you fool..." Fumikage muttered, yanking his quirk back towards him. "I hope it goes well then, perhaps we could train together again sometime?"

Midoriya smiled. "I'd like that."

He had said it so simply, yet it complicated Fumikage's feelings incomprehensibly. So softly, yet it hit him harder than what could bruise him. The fewer words spoken, the more Fumikage wanted to hear come out in that impassioned tenor voice.

Dark Shadow laughed, barely concealing his expression with a talon.

That made Midoriya tilt his head. "Did...did I say something funny?"

 _You_ ** _idiot_ **_!_

 _C'MON FUMI, ARE YOU EVEN HEARING YOURSELF? "IMPASSIONED TENOR VOICE"?_

 _I did not ask for your input!_ _  
_

"I believe he is giddy with anticipation for our next battle…" Fumikage dryly replied, hoping to a higher power his embarrassment wasn't visible.

Midoriya, thankfully, accepted the excuse. He gripped his fists with equal excitement. "Oh well in that case, I look forward to fighting you Dark Shadow! Don't hold back, okay?"

"YOU TOO. I CAN'T WAIT!"

 _HE'S SO CUTE WHEN HE TALKS LIKE THAT!_

 _Can you not?_

 _YOU DON'T THINK SO?_

 _That's...that's not the point!_

They were outside of their dorm rooms at this point, so close to a bed to collapse onto. Fumikage desperately held onto his dark composure. "Well, if it is alright with you, I will retire for the time being."

Midoriya nodded. "Right, and I'll get changed so I can train some more-oh, not that you needed to know that I mean that goes without saying, ahaha...But anyway, I look forward to tonight!"

 _HELL YEAH HE DOES!_

Despite his annoyance at the inner demon, Fumikage couldn't stop himself from smiling back. "As do I, in a sense. Thank you for offering to assist me in the first place…"

"I don't mind at all! It'll be good for me too, I think.." After a moment the green haired classmate gave a small wave. "Until then, I'll see you around, Tokoyami-kun!"

"See you around, Midoriya."

"SEE YA MIDORIYA!"

As soon as Midoriya was out of their sight, Fumikage went into his room. He staggered towards his bed and fell over, his daily energy completely spent.

 _How do I make it through the day with someone as exhausting as you?_

 _HERE'S A BETTER QUESTION: HOW DO I MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY WITH SOMEONE AS_ ** _RUDE_** _AS YOU?_

 _Yes, yes, you're incredibly witty, but I'm being serious. Are you trying to sabotage my school life? My social life too?_

 _I'M HELPING YOU, MORON! DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET THROUGH LIFE BEING A SQUARE THE WHOLE TIME? LET LOOSE, BE FREE! DON'T LET THE MAN GET YOU DOWN!_  
 _  
_I'm starting to think Ashido has had an influence on you…

 _IT'S CALLED BEING FUN, LOOK IT UP._

 _Whatever…_

Sitting up in his bed, Fumikage closed his eyes and took slow meditative breaths. He imagined a void of darkness, and within it a moon that slowly waxed and waned continually. A childhood therapist had recommended him the technique many years ago, when night terrors had ailed him into mild panic attacks. The moon gave him something calm to focus on, and although it was cliché, it was just as beautifully poetic.

With every calm intake of oxygen, he could feel Dark Shadow relax, ever so slightly. Dark Shadow was always in the vision clearly. On good days, Dark Shadow would caress the moon carefully, but other times he swallowed it whole. This time, Dark Shadow danced around the image, laughing mischievously.

 _Unsurprising..._

 _At the very least, I feel better._

 _Okay, I should do something else._

Fumikage turned away from his desk and stood up, taking in his surroundings. Almost absentmindedly, he grabbed the guitar held by the stand in front of his bed. It hadn't been played since the festival, but Fumikage had been meaning to practice. After some tuning, he plucked the strings into a calm tune as time began to move melodically.

* * *

Midoriya's room hadn't changed at all since Fumikage last saw it, but that wasn't surprising. Whatever gothic themes Fumikage had in his room, Midoriya's had the equivalent in All Might memorabilia, if not to an extreme extent.

"So, what should we start with?" Midoriya had already sat down at the desk. Fumikage had no idea when or where he had gotten an extra seat, but there was enough room to seat the two comfortably.

Fumikage took a seat. "We can start with anything you like. I...have room to improve on most of the subjects, it seems."

Midoriya gave a sympathetic look, but only briefly. "Well...how about we go over algebra first? I actually have a simple chart of equations we need to remember so you can-"

Fumikage's expression forced a short laugh out of Midoriya. "That bad, huh? Well, I get where you're coming from, it's pretty hard to remember all the formulas and when they reply and the work gets _super tedious_ and-ah sorry! What I mean to say is, if we tackle the really hard stuff, maybe the rest of it won't seem so bad?"

It took a moment for Fumikage to process Midoriya's rant, but he nodded reluctantly. "You have a fair point. Very well, let us begin…"

To great suprise, Midoriya had actually taken the effort to write up a series of practice problems for Fumikage to start with. They appeared to be neatly written, each question progressively harder than the last.

 _Such diligent genius…_

 _WOOOOW, NOT EVEN FIVE MINUTES IN AND YOU'RE COMPLIMENTING THE GUY. SUBTLE!_

Fumikage snapped his attention back to his work.

Silence! The last thing I need now is your commentary, so leave me be.  
 _  
_SURE SURE…

Minutes passed as he worked through the problems. When he couldn't remember which equation or method to use he differed to Midoriya to explain. Effectively and without condescension, Midoriya provided a new example for Fumikage to apply the new information.

 _IZU-KUN'S SO NICE...IT'S A GOOD THING YOU SUCK AT MATH, HUH?_

Fumikage ignored the thought and pushed through. But as time went on, the problems only became harder-requiring multiple layers of thinking that challenged Fumikage's mental capacity.

 _I'M STARVING, LET'S GET SOMETHING TO EAT. THIS STUFF'S GETTING HARD ANYWAY._

 _We already had dinner, and we're not even close to finishing. Deal with it._

Fumikage tried to ignore the quirk stirring inside him, frustration and boredom only increasing the irritation. It was like an itch that could only be scratched by destroying an entire room of furniture.

He attempted another problem by himself, eventually turning again to Midoriya for advice.

 _MIDORIYA SUCH A STAND UP GUY, HUH? TOLERATING MATH FOR YOU CAN'T BE EASY!_

 _Not helping…_

 _HEY, ISN'T HE WASTING HIS TIME, WORRYING ABOUT YOU? DOESN'T HE HAVE HIS OWN THINGS TO WORK ON?_

Fumikage stopped writing. He didn't have an answer to that, but the question struck a guilty nerve. Fumikage closed his eyes.

 _Of all the things to say…_

 _HEY, JUST CALLING IT AS I SEE IT. THIS ISN'T HELPING US, IT'S NOT HELPING IZUKU EITHER._

 _As_ ** _I_ **_see it, you're the one that isn't helping. Why? Why can't you let me focus? Why do you pester me with such...distractions! Such needless thoughts!_

Dark Shadow stirred irritably inside of him.

 _HEY, I'VE JUST BEEN THINK WHAT_ ** _YOU'RE_ **_TOO AFRAID TO THINK! BESIDES, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS STUFF! EVEN WITH MIDORIYA'S HELP, YOU'RE HOPELESS!_

The accusation stung, but only because Fumikage knew it was somewhat true. Still, he shook his head.

 _I can't understand anything when you screech into my ear! Every time I try to think…_

 _I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU!_  
 _  
_You're inconveniencing me...

 _OH I'M SOOOOO SORRY! AM I INCONVENIENCING YOU? SHOULD I ONLY SPEAK WHEN YOU COMMAND ME,_ ** _MASTER_ **_?_

That last word dripped with venom. Fumikage felt his mood darken. His pencil grip tightened.

 _You have_ ** _no_ **_idea what it's like...You can say whatever you please, but I...I have to represent myself._

 _OH RIGHT, LIKE HOW YOU REPRESENT YOURSELF AS AN EMOTIONLESS EMO? YEAH, THAT'S A REAL WINNER! PEOPLE_ ** _LOVE_ **_IT WHEN YOU DON'T SMILE AT THEM!_ _  
_

 _I didn't ask for your-_

 _THAT'S WHY WE NEVER HAD FRIENDS, YOU KNOW! BEFORE U.A, NOBODY TALKED TO US, BECAUSE WE_ ** _SCARED THEM AWAY_ **_. WE WERE_ ** _DIFFERENT_ **_!_

Fumikage wanted to scream, but instead he gripped his hands into silent fists. He had this conversation before, too many times before. Why did it have to happen now, of all times?

 _That...doesn't matter anymore! So much has changed..._ ** _We've_** _changed...We're becoming heroes, and we have our classmates-_

 _-WHO YOU HARDLY TALK TO! AND WHY IS THAT? ARE YOU JUST_ ** _TOO COOL_ **_TO HANG OUT WITH THEM? DOES IT RUIN YOUR AESTHETIC? YOU THINK THEY'RE BENEATH YOU?_

 _I...that doesn't…._

 _TELL ME, WOULD YOU HAVE EVEN_ ** _THOUGHT_** _TO TALK TO MIDORIYA IF HE HADN'T MESSAGED YOU FIRST? THE ONLY REASON HE'S HERE IS BECAUSE HE LIKES YOU, BUT DO YOU EVEN DESERVE IT? ARE YOU EVEN_ ** _TRYING_ **_TO DESERVE IT?_

Fumikage stared at the textbook pages in front of him, but saw nothing. His shoulders felt heavy, weighed down and tensed up by the heat in his eyes and the pounding of his head. He slumped forward in his chair, but only slightly. The fatigue, frustration and self doubt today had thrown at him took its toll.

 _That's not fair…I don't...I am trying…_

"Tokoyami-kun?"

That voice pierced Fumikage's mood, the concern in it was heartbreaking.

"Midoriya, I…" Fumikage wiped his eyes, standing up in a rush. "Forgive me, I was...it was just a migraine, but I'm fine now…"

 _LIAR._

Midoriya didn't seem convinced either. "Tokoyami-kun, are you okay? We can take a break, if you want…"

At first Fumikage wanted to refuse the offer. He didn't want to let his emotions control him to the point where he couldn't do anything. If one could stop working everytime something bad happened, nothing would ever get done. Heroes needed to be that strong all of the time. Fumikage wanted to be that strong.

But he _wasn't_.

"I think...that would be best." Fumikage managed to speak in a level tone. "Just for a minute, I think…"

Midoriya nodded with a kind smile. "Sure. I'll go get some us water from the hall. Or maybe you want some juice? I'm pretty sure we have some, unless Kaminari took it again-"

"Water would be nice, thank you."

"Alright, I'll be back in a second!"

Fumikage didn't have the chance to respond before Midoriya darted out of the room. He sat at the desk alone, the math equations were the last thing on his mind.

 _Why did you...you had NO RIGHT…._

Dark Shadow didn't say anything in response, but for once that gave Fumikage little comfort. Yelling at his quirk wouldn't make him feel better, he knew that. Emotions were always cyclical. Between the two of them _everything_ was cyclical.

Fumikage tried to think about the moon again, but his heart beated too quickly, too loudly. His mind felt heavier-maybe he _did_ have a migraine-but his thoughts were empty.

 _Why aren't you saying anything? Why only_ ** _now_ **_do you stay silent?_

Nothing. Fumikage gripped the sides of his head, soft feathers dampened with sweat. He stared at the math problems again, and wondered if attempting them would take his mind off things. He wouldn't be able to solve anything, but at this point any distraction was welcome.

 _Hopeless...Whatever I do..._

"Tokoyami-kun!"

It took an entire second for the voice to register in Fumikage's mind. He turned to see Midoriya holding two water bottles in one hand, and a cream doughnut in the other.

"Crap...you look awful!" Midoriya stepped closer to Fumikage. "Ah, I don't mean that in a _bad_ way! I mean, it _is_ bad that you're sick but-nevermind! Are you _sure_ you're okay, Tokoyami-kun?"

Even if Fumikage had the energy to lie, he knew Midoriya didn't deserve it. He tried to keep his tone level. "I'm sorry, Midoriya...I didn't want to cause a fuss…"

"You're not causing a fuss." Midoriya set the drinks and pastries on the desk, ignoring the wretched calculus sheets he had made. "I figured the water would hydrate you, obviously, but maybe a sugar boost will help too. I know it helps me, sometimes."

The doughnuts _did_ smell nice, and had a welcome flavour. Fumikage recognised it.

"Those are...from the cafe I showed you." Fumikage slowly took the one with red icing. "When did you get these?"

His classmate looked almost sheepish. "Well...after school I went out running again so I figured...they were so good when we went yesterday, I couldn't resist! I'm just glad nobody else found where I left them, especially Sato-kun..."

Fumikage slowly took a bite, then immediately another, then another. Cream and strawberries filled his taste buds pleasantly. "A wise decision, I think. These are...scrumptious."

 _BAHAHAHAHA!_ ** _SCRUMPTIOUS_** _!_ _?_

The fortissimo voice startled him. Fumikage felt a flash of anger.

 _You're back._

 _MMM HMM. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?_

 _Oh, you care about how I feel? Funny, I still remember being emotionally tormented not ten minutes ago…by_ ** _you_ **_._

 _WHAT CAN I SAY? I WAS HUNGRY! THE RICE CHICKEN WE HAD AT DINNER WAS SO DULL! AND BESIDES, MIDORIYA'S BEING NICE TO US! HE'S SO COOL! HE'S REAL SWEET, LIKE THAT DOUGHNUT!_

Fumikage didn't even know how to reply to that, so he keep eating the doughnut. He didn't want to admit it, but the sugar actually did make him feel better.

"Are you talking to Dark Shadow?"

Midoriya's question, like many of his, took him off guard. Fumikage calmly reached for a sip of water, he needed to look casual. "You...noticed?"

Midoriya lifted a finger to his chin in contemplation, then spoke. "Well...I wasn't really sure if it was something you could do, but I figured you had to have _some_ way of communicating non-verbally to Dark Shadow otherwise you wouldn't be able to command him silently. Also, sometimes, you kinda...stare off into space a little? I mean, I do that too, but it looked like you were talking to yourself, with the way you reacted and all, so I figured that's how you did it!"

Fumikage almost fell over from how quickly Midoriya had thrown the words at him. He closed his eyes, giving the other a nod. "A good observation, and an accurate one. I'm impressed."

Midoriya's eyes lit up, and so Fumikage's mood did too. "Wow, really? So you can have a conversation without even speaking? That's so cool!"

"Sometimes. But I can't control anything _he_ says, even when he says the most vile things…" Fumikage closed his eyes, knowing what would come next.

"SLANDER!" Dark Shadow cried, emerging from his user dramatically. He cooed towards Midoriya. "DON'T LISTEN TO HIM MIDORIYA, HE'S NOT USED TO TALKING WITH PEOPLE."

"You certainly seem used to it…" Fumikage muttered.

"DUH! I'M THE SOCIAL ONE."

 _If you think you're improving things, you're not._

Suddenly Midoriya burst out laughing. It was joyously light, but he caught himself quickly. "Oh no-I'm sorry! I know you're not feeling well and all, but...I've never seen someone argue with their quirk before! It's...really interesting!"

 _Interesting?_

 _INTERESTING? HE THINKS WE'RE INTERESTING!_

Fumikage shook his head slowly, his head still buzzed with pain. "Believe me, it gets old quickly…"

"SAYS YOU! I'M HAVING A GREAT TIME!"

Fumikage felt nothing but irritation for his quirk, but he couldn't say anything to betray his anguish in front of Midoriya. Even worse, his classmate _enjoyed_ talking to Dark Shadow, so forcing him back would only ruin the conversation. Fumikage needed to be diplomatic.

"Be that as it may, you should rest yourself for tomorrow. _Shouldn't you_?"

Internally Dark Shadow sent him a scowl.

 _WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I HAVE HEAPS OF ENERGY!_

 _But I'm exhausted. Could you please get inside me?_

 _THAT'S WHAT HE SAID!_

 _How mature…_

 _BUT SERIOUSLY, IF YOU JUST WANT SOME ONE-ON-ONE TIME WITH MIDORIYA, YOU CAN TELL ME! I WON'T TELL ANYONE._

 _Debatable._

 _HA! SO YOU DO ADMIT IT!_

 _Don't make me force you back. I know you hate that..._

 _OKAY FINE._

Dark Shadow rolled his eyes theatrically, still leaning towards Midoriya. "ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, IF YOU SAY SO! I'LL LEAVE YOU GUYS TO IT. BYE MIDORIYA!"

Midoriya made a small wave. "Okay, see you Dark Shadow."

When Dark Shadow left, Fumikage felt the pain in his head subside a little. Not entirely, but enough to relax his shoulders, the built up tension fading little by little.

 _Thank you, this is exactly what I needed._

 _I'LL TRY NOT TO BE OFFENDED BY THAT, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME! JUST DON'T SCREW THIS UP!_

 _Don't screw what-? Oh nevermind…_

After a deep breath and a sip of water, Fumikage spoke. "Thank you for getting these, they are certainly helping…"

Midoriya smiled, his eyes shone softly. "I'm glad. Do you want me to go grab some more food? I don't know what we have, but..."

Fumikage immediately shook his head. "No, that is quite alright. This should be sufficient..."

In his heart Fumikage cursed at himself, knowing why he had rejected the suggestion. It had nothing to do with food or lack of hunger, it didn't even have anything to do with Dark Shadow either.

He wanted to keep talking to Midoriya.

Despite himself, despite the hellish mood he was still in, he found himself uplifted by his classmate's unconditional kindness. Fumikage didn't want to lose another second of Midoriya's company anymore than need be. With such calm sanctuary, it was easy to forget the problems of life.

 _I am a fool. A hopeless fool…._

"Hey, I was wondering…" Midoriya paused for a second to think, but then continued. "Are you...Do you ever get mad at Dark Shadow?"

Another blindsiding question. Was Fumikage _that_ easy to read? Or was Midoriya that observant? Chances were that it was both. Regardless, it wasn't the question itself that worried Fumikage, but the answers it entailed.

"I...I certainly find him irritable at times, yes…" Fumikage kept his eyes on the floor. "On particularly bad days...If I'm not careful, it becomes unpleasant for everyone. I'm sure you remember...the training camp…"

Fumikage would never forget that day, and it pained him to recall it. The unexpected villain attack, Shoji's arms sacrificed for his safety, for his _carelessness_ , the dark night all had contributed to one of the worst episodes he could remember in a long time.

"How could I forget?" Midoriya made an empty laugh. "But we made it through that. All of us fought hard, especially you, Tokoyami-kun. I mean, defeating a pro-villain by yourself..."

 _That...doesn't sound right._

"No…" Tokoyami's eyes found the ground again. "I didn't fight back, I just lost control of myself...I almost…"

 _I almost hurt my classmates. I almost hurt_ ** _you_ **_…_

Midoriya's hand lightly touched Fumikage's shoulder. "That wasn't your fault. You know that, right?"

"But...I could still feel it….I was so **_angry_ **…"

"Tokoyami-kun…"

"I **_wanted_** to hurt him!" Fumikage snapped. "I wanted him to suffer for his vileness, to atone for what he had done. For a second, I **_enjoyed_ **the power. I **_enjoyed_ **the anger! If it lasted any longer I would have...I'm just as bad as-"

"No you're not!" Midoriya cut him off. "Whatever you felt, you still protected us! And anyone would get mad in our situation, we had the right to be!"

A moment passed, before Fumikage uttered in a whisper "I almost killed you. If I did…".

"But you didn't."

"I _could have_."

"But you _didn't_ , and now there's one less villain out there because of you." The dark emerald in Midoriya's eyes pierced Fumikage. "You're a good guy, Tokoyami-kun. You wouldn't have let anything bad happen. Not then, not now."

 _How can you possibly know that?_

"Midoriya…" Fumikage willed himself to look up at his classmate. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get..upset."

"I told you, it's fine." Midoriya sighed. "It's important to talk about this kind of stuff, I think. Good for mental health, right? That's what they say, at least..."

"Right…" Fumikage let himself take a deep breath. "I...I don't think I've talked to anyone else about it, until now..."

"Oh?" Midoriya's surprised expression turned into a content one. "Well I'm glad you told me. It must have been so hard…"

"It was hard for all of us." Fumikage replied. "But I'm fine now, so please don't worry about me, Midoriya." After a moment of pause, he added. "I...appreciate the concern, though."

Midoriya gave a humble shrug. "Well, it's only fair. You...what you and Dark Shadow said last night...I really needed to hear that, you know?"

Fumikage felt like an idiot for almost forgetting last night, despite its significance.

"Ah, well…" Fumikage used every fibre of his being not to stutter. "I meant every word. I'm sure Dark Shadow did, too."

"It's just…" Midoriya began, fidgeting with his hands slightly. "Whenever I get excited or nervous about anything, I just...can't stop talking, you know?"

Fumikage nodded. "I understand that. And it doesn't bother me-"

"But that's the _thing_. Ever since I started doing it...it always _bothered_ people. Hell, it even bothers _me_ sometimes, so...If it gets annoying can you tell me? Please?"

 _If if does, then hell shall gather frost to chill the devil…_

"As unlikely as that sounds, I shall." Fumikage replied. "But you should not torment yourself for it. As I see it, it is a part of you. Anyone who cannot accept that is a fool."

"Tokoyami-kun…"

Fumikage went on, shocked at how words kept falling out of his mouth. "Besides, I think it is better to talk to the point of madness than to be forever silent. As ironic as that sounds coming from me…"

"You're not _that_ bad." Midoriya laughed a little. "You're talking right now, aren't you?"

"Perhaps not now, but before coming here…" Fumikage took another sip. "The only people I talked frequently to were Dark Shadow and my parents."

That statement hung like a galling decoration, but Midoriya didn't shy from it. "You...didn't have friends back then?"

"Indeed." Fumikage took a deep breath, then continued. "I told you I have trouble expressing myself, sometimes. As a child, the emotion I felt never matched what I showed to others. It's only natural given my...features."

The feathers on his head itched, but Fumikage ignored it. He went on. "After a while, I stopped trying to make myself look happy, or sad, or angry...Whenever I did, it terrified people."

"...Terrified?"

"Have you ever seen a bird try to smile with its teeth out?"

"No…?"

"Consider yourself fortunate." Fumikage replied, dryly. "As a result I...distanced myself from my classmates, I suppose. Of course, I didn't actively _ignore_ people, but I...didn't try to befriend anyone, either. I am not proud of it, looking back now..."

"But...you're here now, talking to me." Midoriya smiled. "That's pretty good progress, don't you think?"

"Well, yes but.." _I couldn't have done it without you_. "I suppose that is a matter of course, with such a school as U.E..."

Midoriya leaned back in his chair. "Yeah. I'm happy to be here. Sometimes I wonder..."

"Hmm?"

"Ah, sorry! Just mumbling to myself again…"

"About what? You were pondering something, perhaps?"

"Oh? Ah yeah, just thinking...what if I wasn't here, you know? Training to be a Hero with all you guys…"

Fumikage took note of Midoriya's expression, melancholy yet content. Another maddening contradiction.

After a pause Fumikage spoke in reply. "With your talents, I am sure you'd be well on your way to being a professional, regardless of where you went."

Strangely, Midoriya didn't perk up at the compliment. If anything, it furrowed his brow just a bit further. "Maybe…But still, I almost forget just how _lucky_ I am..."

Fumikage wasn't sure what to say to that. Midoriya looked almost troubled, despite the grateful words. It peaked his curiosity, but Fumikage didn't want to risk pushing the conversation in a bad direction. After a moment, he spoke.

"I think," Fumikage's voice matched Izuku's quietness. "All things considered, we are _lucky_ to have you as a classmate."

Another pause came, but it felt different this time. Fumikage cringed.

 _…Why in blazes did I say that?_

 _Make myself a fool why don't I?_

 _If Dark Shadow heard that, he'd call me a "corny idiot" or something, wouldn't he?_

 _THAT KINDA GOES WITHOUT SAYING, THOUGH._

 _Silence!_

Midoriya blinked, turning his gaze to Fumikage. "I...Wow, how do I respond to that?"

A treacherous flush invaded Fumikage's face. "F-Forget about it. I only meant…"

"No no, that was nice! Really nice! Like, one of the nicest things I've ever heard but...I didn't think you'd be the type to use cliché, Tokoyami-kun!"

 _BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_

 _Curses! Even_ ** _he_ **_thought it was...Light, why did I have to say that?_

 _AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_

 _Shut up! I don't require your input!_

 _AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_

Fumikage couldn't blush externally, but his face flared in mortification. "Nevermind. Forget I said anything…"

Midoriya, kind as he normally was, couldn't stop himself making a small laugh. "I mean it though, that was really nice. _You're_ really nice, you know?"

The words were well intended and held unrelenting empathy, yet they only embarrassed Fumikage further. "I don't know what you mean, I said nothing. Nothing at all."

Another rich laugh, softer this time. "Okay...okay…"

Time passed in a strange silence. Parts of it filled Fumikage with belonging and content, others with longing and dissent. How long had it been since Fumikage talked that much? How long since he wanted to talk even more?

Almost desperate, he filled the silence. "If it is okay with you, shall we...continue our studies?"

"Oh? Are you feeling better? It's okay if you wanna call it a-"

"I'm fine, but thank you Midoriya." It was strange how hearing his classmate's concerned voice calmed him. "I...despise the subject, but it is a necessary evil to prepare for it. Besides, we are nearly done with that section, aren't we?"

Midoriya still had that tentative look, but he conceded a nod. "Can't argue with that. If you're feeling alright...Let's move onto simultaneous equations!"

"Very well…"

What followed was more frustration, irritation, and brain bending than Fumikage could ever see himself getting used to. But it was worth it, hearing that golden voice explain it all.


End file.
